Land wrangle derailing development in Dowa

Traditional Authority Chiwere of Dowa has bemoaned a 21-year land dispute between two senior group heads of his area saying the conflict is derailing development.

Chief Chiwere said he feels sorry to see people in the two areas of chiefs under his chieftaincy fighting each day and night leaving the aged, people with disabilities, women and children in danger.

Dowa police station’s Officer-In-Charge Owen Maganga said his office is aware of the wrangles and that shortly action will be taken.

Speaking in an interview with Malawi24, Inkosi Chiwere expressed shock and dismay that despite the High Court judge Esmie Chombo’s ruling in 2017 to put the matter of the two chiefs to rest, people of these areas are up to now fighting, a development which is negatively affecting development of the two areas. People of the two Senior Group heads, Mkanthama and Mndekwa, are accusing one another of entering in each other’s territory illegally.

Chiwere said what is of great concern is that the 21 years of land disputes have led to the formation of two groups called Dafoe and Bokoharam.

But speaking in an interview, Dowa police chief Maganga said his office is aware of the wrangle and shortly action will be taken.

Maganga said together with Inkosi Chiwere he had a meeting with the two Senior Group heads Mkanthama and Mndekwa to discuss the effects of the disputes in order to find a long lasting solution for ending the fighting.

He said at that meeting, they agreed to conduct sensitization meetings for the people of the two areas to practice the spirit of tolerance and reconciliation with Community Policing Forums to be formed as a matter of providing security to the people in ending the land disputes.

On the formation of the two violent groups, Dafoe and Bokoharam in the two areas, the O/C said Dowa police is hunting for the ring leaders of the groups and arrests will be made with the groups being disbanded.

Land disputes are common in Dowa district due to intermarriages between the Chewas and Ngonis.